Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry
o Design and conduct scientific investigations.
o Formulate and revise scientific explanations and models using logic and evidence
o Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and models.
What does this mean? Students will be engaged in both full and partial inquiry lessons that involve questioning, investigation, gathering of evidence, coming up with a conclusion, and communicating the investigation process and results. The students will gain background knowledge and learn to use this knowledge to apply to their investigations. What do students need to know before addressing the standard? Students will need to have experience making observations so that they can apply these observations to their background knowledge in order to come up with results of their findings. They must have some existing understanding of scientific ideas and information that can be applied to their inquiry of science. What are some probable misconceptions about this standard?
Students and teachers might misinterpret this standard as the learning the scientific method. There is a logical order to this process, but there is less of a rigid structure to scientific inquiry
Content Standard C: Life Science
o Matter, Energy, and Organization in Living Systems- The energy for life primarily derives from the
sun. Plants capture energy by absorbing light and using it to form chemical bonds between the
atoms of carbon-containing molecules. In addition, the energy stored in bonds between the atoms
can be used as sources of energy for life processes.
What does this mean?
Everything depends on the sun for energy either directly or indirectly; plants directly depend on it while animals depend on the plants which depend on the sun to obtain energy. Plants get this energy from the sun through a series of chemical reactions and processes which involve molecules that contain carbon. What do students need to know before addressing the standard? Students should be familiar with energy flow and food webs from ecology. This unit will dive deeper into the plant aspect of that food web. Students have also learned about photosynthesis in elementary and middle school but this unit will go into greater detail about the molecules involved etc. What are some probable misconceptions about this standard?
Berthelsen, B. (1999). Students Naïve Conceptions in Life Science. MSTA Journal, 44(1) (Springí99), pp. 13-19. http://www.msta-mich.org
1. Plants obtain their energy directly from the sun.
2. Plants have multiple sources of food (heterotrophic as well as autotrophic).
3. Carbon dioxide, water, and minerals are food.
4. Plants feed by absorbing food through their roots.
5. Plants use heat from the sun as a source of energy for photosynthesis
6. Sunlight is a food.
7. Sunlight is composed of molecules.
8. Sunlight is ìconsumedî in photosynthesis.
9. Plants absorb water through their leaves.
10. Plants produce oxygen for our benefit.
Content Standard F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
o Science and Technology in local, national, and global challenges – Humans have a major effect on
other species
What does this mean?
This standard simply states that humans have a major effect on other species, specifically plants. As humans exhale carbon dioxide, plants take that carbon dioxide and use it to yield oxygen (which humans need to breathe) and glucose (i.e. photosynthesis). Photosynthesis affects almost everything we know in some way or another, whether that be in our own backyard or halfway across the world. What do students need to know before addressing the standard?
How to apply some of the material/concepts they've learned to a new situation (global challenge...deforestation etc.) What are some probable misconceptions about this standard?
Some misconceptions could be that photosynthesis only affects plants; it occurs in plants so it only affects plants.
Relevant Grade Span Expectations
LS2 (9-11) POC+ SAE –4
Trace the cycling of matter (e.g., carbon cycle) and the flow of energy in a living system from its source through its transformation in cellular, biochemical processes (e.g., photosynthesis, cellular respiration, fermentation). LS2 (Ext)–4
Students demonstrate an understanding of matter and energy flow in an ecosystem by …
4aa explaining the energy transfer with cells in photosynthesis [and cellular respiration], tracking ATP production and consumption.
What does this mean?
The students need to understand how energy moves from one living thing to the next and where does the energy come from in the first place (sun). Students should know that photosynthesis plays a major role in energy transfer and that ATP is an energy storing molecule. What do students need to know before addressing the standard?
Students should be familiar with energy flow and food webs from ecology. This unit will dive deeper into the plant aspect of that food web. Students have also learned about photosynthesis in elementary and middle school but this unit will go into greater detail about the molecules involved etc. What are some probable misconceptions about this standard?
Berthelsen, B. (1999). Students Naïve Conceptions in Life Science. MSTA Journal, 44(1) (Springí99), pp. 13-19. http://www.msta-mich.org
1. Plants obtain their energy directly from the sun.
2. Plants have multiple sources of food (heterotrophic as well as autotrophic).
3. Carbon dioxide, water, and minerals are food.
4. Plants feed by absorbing food through their roots.
5. Plants use heat from the sun as a source of energy for photosynthesis
6. Sunlight is a food.
7. Sunlight is composed of molecules.
8. Sunlight is ìconsumedî in photosynthesis.
9. Plants absorb water through their leaves.
10. Plants produce oxygen for our benefit.
Learning Goals (Standards)
Return to Unit PlanRelevant National Standards:
Content Standard A: Science as Inquiryo Design and conduct scientific investigations.
o Formulate and revise scientific explanations and models using logic and evidence
o Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and models.
What does this mean?
Students will be engaged in both full and partial inquiry lessons that involve questioning, investigation, gathering of evidence, coming up with a conclusion, and communicating the investigation process and results. The students will gain background knowledge and learn to use this knowledge to apply to their investigations.
What do students need to know before addressing the standard?
Students will need to have experience making observations so that they can apply these observations to their background knowledge in order to come up with results of their findings. They must have some existing understanding of scientific ideas and information that can be applied to their inquiry of science.
What are some probable misconceptions about this standard?
Students and teachers might misinterpret this standard as the learning the scientific method. There is a logical order to this process, but there is less of a rigid structure to scientific inquiry
Content Standard C: Life Science
o Matter, Energy, and Organization in Living Systems- The energy for life primarily derives from the
sun. Plants capture energy by absorbing light and using it to form chemical bonds between the
atoms of carbon-containing molecules. In addition, the energy stored in bonds between the atoms
can be used as sources of energy for life processes.
What does this mean?
Everything depends on the sun for energy either directly or indirectly; plants directly depend on it while animals depend on the plants which depend on the sun to obtain energy. Plants get this energy from the sun through a series of chemical reactions and processes which involve molecules that contain carbon.
What do students need to know before addressing the standard?
Students should be familiar with energy flow and food webs from ecology. This unit will dive deeper into the plant aspect of that food web. Students have also learned about photosynthesis in elementary and middle school but this unit will go into greater detail about the molecules involved etc.
What are some probable misconceptions about this standard?
Berthelsen, B. (1999). Students Naïve Conceptions in Life Science. MSTA Journal, 44(1) (Springí99), pp. 13-19. http://www.msta-mich.org
1. Plants obtain their energy directly from the sun.
2. Plants have multiple sources of food (heterotrophic as well as autotrophic).
3. Carbon dioxide, water, and minerals are food.
4. Plants feed by absorbing food through their roots.
5. Plants use heat from the sun as a source of energy for photosynthesis
6. Sunlight is a food.
7. Sunlight is composed of molecules.
8. Sunlight is ìconsumedî in photosynthesis.
9. Plants absorb water through their leaves.
10. Plants produce oxygen for our benefit.
Content Standard F: Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
o Science and Technology in local, national, and global challenges – Humans have a major effect on
other species
What does this mean?
This standard simply states that humans have a major effect on other species, specifically plants. As humans exhale carbon dioxide, plants take that carbon dioxide and use it to yield oxygen (which humans need to breathe) and glucose (i.e. photosynthesis). Photosynthesis affects almost everything we know in some way or another, whether that be in our own backyard or halfway across the world.
What do students need to know before addressing the standard?
How to apply some of the material/concepts they've learned to a new situation (global challenge...deforestation etc.)
What are some probable misconceptions about this standard?
Some misconceptions could be that photosynthesis only affects plants; it occurs in plants so it only affects plants.
Relevant Grade Span Expectations
LS2 (9-11) POC+ SAE –4Trace the cycling of matter (e.g., carbon cycle) and the flow of energy in a living system from its source through its transformation in cellular, biochemical processes (e.g., photosynthesis, cellular respiration, fermentation).
LS2 (Ext)–4
Students demonstrate an understanding of matter and energy flow in an ecosystem by …
4aa explaining the energy transfer with cells in photosynthesis [and cellular respiration], tracking ATP production and consumption.
What does this mean?
The students need to understand how energy moves from one living thing to the next and where does the energy come from in the first place (sun). Students should know that photosynthesis plays a major role in energy transfer and that ATP is an energy storing molecule.
What do students need to know before addressing the standard?
Students should be familiar with energy flow and food webs from ecology. This unit will dive deeper into the plant aspect of that food web. Students have also learned about photosynthesis in elementary and middle school but this unit will go into greater detail about the molecules involved etc.
What are some probable misconceptions about this standard?
Berthelsen, B. (1999). Students Naïve Conceptions in Life Science. MSTA Journal, 44(1) (Springí99), pp. 13-19. http://www.msta-mich.org
1. Plants obtain their energy directly from the sun.
2. Plants have multiple sources of food (heterotrophic as well as autotrophic).
3. Carbon dioxide, water, and minerals are food.
4. Plants feed by absorbing food through their roots.
5. Plants use heat from the sun as a source of energy for photosynthesis
6. Sunlight is a food.
7. Sunlight is composed of molecules.
8. Sunlight is ìconsumedî in photosynthesis.
9. Plants absorb water through their leaves.
10. Plants produce oxygen for our benefit.